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SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings Introduction Why? SSCE Cymru works with schools across Wales to gain an understanding of the challenges Service children face in education and information on what schools are doing to help Service children overcome these barriers. This survey was an important way to capture this information across Wales; to find out what would help schools to support their Service children achieve their full potential and ensure Service children are not disadvantaged in their learning. How? Members of the SSCE Cymru network supported the production of the school survey by suggesting draft content during the SSCE Cymru Stakeholder Day (March 2019), contributing content, testing the survey and promoting it with schools in Wales. Who? SSCE Cymru is aware of 388 schools in Wales that currently have Service children enrolled. These schools were invited to participate in the online survey, requesting that it be completed by the headteacher or member of staff responsible for supporting Service children. 167 schools either fully or partially completed the survey. When? Survey responses were submitted between April-June 2019. Executive summary SSCE Cymru is pleased with the range of schools across Wales that took the time to share their experiences. The responses help us to understand the challenges schools face in supporting Service children, what support is the most beneficial and what schools would find beneficial in helping them to support their Service children. There are a lot of good practice examples in schools in Wales, with education professionals working hard to understand the needs of this specific group of learners. However, many of the responses suggest schools are unaware of the experiences of Service children and are therefore unprepared to support them with their unique needs. No formal mechanism for capturing data on Service children contributes to the lack of understanding in schools. The findings from this survey will provide evidence to impact policy in Welsh Government, specifically the need to identify Service Children through the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). It will also support policy and system changes in schools and Local authorities, and contribute to new SSCE Cymru resources. Comparisons in findings Throughout the survey result findings sections, it has been noted where there are significant differences in the responses from the four Key Local Authorities that have well-established military communities: Vale of Glamorgan – RAF St Athans Isle of Anglesey – RAF Valley Pembrokeshire – Cawdor Barracks/Brawdy (Haverfordwest) Powys – 160 Brigade and Wales Headquarters (Brecon). 2 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings Respondents The survey result findings are based on155 English and 12 Welsh responses. Percentages have been rounded to the closest 0.5%. The 167 schools were made up of: 1.1 Type of school 123 (74%) Primary 32 (21%) Secondary 6 (4%) Special 3 (1%) Through 163 (97.5%) Maintained 4 (2.5%) Independent (fee-paying). 1.2 School language 122 (73%) English-medium 23 (14%) Welsh-medium 12 (7%) English-medium with significant use of Welsh 8 (5%) Dual stream 2 (1%) Bilingual. ©UK Ministry of Defence CROWN COPYRIGHT, 2018 1.3 Number of schools from each Local authority 1 (0.5%) Blaenau-Gwent 2 (1%) Merthyr Tydfil 6 (3.5%) Bridgend 11 (6.5%) Monmouthshire 11 (6.5%) Caerphilly 3 (2%) Neath Port Talbot 4 (2.5%) Cardiff 15 (9%) Newport 11 (6.5%) Carmarthenshire 13 (8%) Pembrokeshire 1 (0.5%) Ceredigion 18 (1%) Powys 3 (2%) Conwy 21 (12.5%) Rhondda Cynon Taff 2 (1%) Denbighshire 6 (3.5) Swansea 5 (3%) Flintshire 0 (0%) Torfaen 8 (5%) Gwynedd 19 (11%) Vale of Glamorgan 2 (1%) Isle of Anglesey 5 (3%) Wrexham. 3 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings 1.4 Number of Service children (SC) in schools No. of SC in school Schools with that number Total no. of SC 1 22 22 2 23 46 3 21 63 4 13 52 5-9 19 132 10-14 7 83 15-19 2 31 20-29 2 49 30-39 1 35 40-49 3 134 50-99 0 0 100-150 1 100 151+ 1 151 Unknown* 52 ? 898 Service children in the 115 schools. * Schools were unsure how many Service children they had enrolled. 1.5 Service Children (SC) with Additional Learning Needs 70 SC in 31 schools with School Action ALN 43 SC in 24 schools with School Action Plus ALN 36 SC in 11 schools with Statements 2 SC in 2 schools with Other ALN. 122 responses 1.6 Service that is most prominent in school community 64 (51%) British Army 13 (10%) Royal Navy 13 (10%) Royal Air Force 5 (4%) Royal Marines 5 (4%) Veterans* 1 (1%) Reservist 25 (20%) Unknown. 126 responses *That left the Armed Forces within the past six years. 4 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings Findings Mobility data 2.1 35 schools indicated a total of 334 Service children that arrived mid-year during the 2018/19 academic year. 2.2 19 schools indicated a total of 206 Service children that left mid-year during the 2018/19 academic year. This presents challenges to schools in finding the time and resources to support a new learner. 126 responses Key findings: 62% more Service children joined schools in Wales mid-year than left mid-year, during the 2018/19 academic year. This could support suggestions that Service families are choosing to settle in Wales after a posting, either when transitioning out of the Armed Forces or for the Service personnel to no longer be accompanied. Challenges 3.1 When asked what they felt were the three most significantchallenges to Service children’s education, schools indicated: Primary schools Secondary schools 43% Emotional impact of separation 33.5% Making friends 28.5% Emotional impact when 29% Missing curriculum content (after parent/s return from deployment/ a move) training 21% Adapting to different curriculums 22.5% Emotional impact during in different administrations deployment 21% Missing friends and family from 19% Making friends previous school/home 17% Adapting to different curriculums 21% Learning Welsh in different administrations 16.5% Emotional impact of separation 17% Learning Welsh (this was higher, at 25% when just looking at Welsh- 12.5% Emotional impact when medium schools) parent/s return from deployment/ training. 14% Impact on family lifestyle when parent/s transition out of the Armed 24 responses Forces. 84 responses 38% of all schools indicated they do not feel their Service children have any specific challenges in relation to their Armed Forces lifestyle. This is significantly lower, at 20%, when looking at just the four Key LAs1. 1 That have well-established military communities (Vale of Glamorgan, Isle of Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and Powys). 5 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings 3.2 When asked what are the three most significantchallenges they face in supporting their Service children, schools indicated: Primary Secondary 44% Supporting Service children with 41.5% Supporting Service children with their emotional and Wellbeing needs gaps in their learning 31% Gaining an understanding of the 33.5% Gaining information on a Armed Forces Lifestyle Service child from a previous school 25% Funding 29% Supporting Service children with their emotional and Wellbeing needs 21.5% Supporting Service children with gaps in their learning. 25% Supporting Service children learning Welsh for the first time. 84 responses 24 responses 32% of all schools indicated they feel well equipped to support their Service children with their unique needs related to their Armed Forces lifestyle. This is lower, at 24%, when looking at just the four Key LAs1. This demonstrates the importance of the SSCE Cymru mission and development of new resources. Key findings: The types of challenges schools felt their Service children faced in education, and the types of challenges schools faced in supporting their Service children, differed greatly between Primary and Secondary Schools. When just looking at the responses from Welsh-medium schools, the percentage that indicated challenges with supporting Service children learning Welsh for the first time did not differ greatly from all responses. Schools from the four Key LAs1 were more aware of the challenges their Service children face in education, in comparison to schools in all Local authorities in Wales, yet they felt less equipped to support them. 1 That have well-established military communities (Vale of Glamorgan, Isle of Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and Powys). 6 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings Support 4.1 When asked what the three most beneficial types ofsupport they offer to their Service children, schools indicated: Primary Secondary 28.5% Tailored pastoral support 37.5% Tailored pastoral support 23.5% Dedicated member of staff to 33% Subject interventions support Service children 25% Dedicated member of staff to 22% Service children included in the support Service children Pupil Voice 16.5% Peer to peer support/ 18.5% Peer to peer support/ mentoring. mentoring. 81 responses 24 responses 41.5% of all schools indicated they don’t currently offer any specific support to their Service children. This is much lower, at 28%, when looking at just the four Key LAs1. 4.2 41% of schools indicated they have put specific interventions in place to support a Service child with specific needs. This is significantly higher, at 66%, when looking at just the four Key LAs1. Examples of these interventions include: Extra tuition Targeted teaching in core subjects ELSA support for emotional wellbeing MoD Intervention groups with a designated office 1:1 support Nurture/THRIVE support Anxiety support. 117 responses 1 That have well-established military communities (Vale of Glamorgan, Isle of Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and Powys). 7 SSCE Cymru school survey (2019) – findings 4.3 When asked if the school have ever referred Service children to any of the following mental health and wellbeing provisions, schools indicated: Provision All(%) Key LAs1(%) Education Psychologist 9.5 18 CAMHS 10 29 Local authority counselling service 11 21 Other mental health and wellbeing support 16 35 116 responses 4.4 7% of schools indicated they had encountered issues in meeting prioritisation thresholds for mental health and wellbeing support for a Service child.

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